News

January 17, 2011: Successful Press Day at Children in the Wilderness Botswana Camp

January 2011 – In December 2010, Children in the Wilderness (CITW) held its annual week-long programmes at Jacana Camp and Wilderness Tented Camp respectively. Since its inception in 2001, CITW Botswana has been hosting 96 kids per annum over a four-week period; the same numbers were hosted in 2010 and all programs ran smoothly and were outstanding successes. This year the participants came from Gumare, Tubu, Seronga, Eretsa, Betsa, Gunatsoga and Gudigwa villages.

The week’s curriculum includes environmental topics, conservation education, HIV/AIDS knowledge and life skills, to name but a few subjects, as well as a Press Day, held this year on the 18th of December at Jacana Camp. As usual it was well attended by the private and public sectors, as well as Botswana Television and the press.

The following senior officials made a great effort to attend this event:
Minister Kitso Mokaila – Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism;  Assistant Minister Rahkudu – Ministry of Education; Myra Sekgoroane – CEO of Botswana Tourism Organisation; Mma Malala – District Commissioner Ngamiland; Victoria O’Connell and Phatsimo Lobelo – United States Embassy in Botswana representatives (the US Embassy has donated US$34 000 to CITW over the next 12 months).

In addition the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Okavango Community Trust, representatives of First National Bank Botswana and Air Botswana attended.

Grant Woodrow, MD of Wilderness Safaris Botswana reported: “[CITW Botswana Coordinator] Geoffrey Aupiti and his team of volunteers exceeded all our expectations. The delegation had an opportunity to mix with the kids as well as listen to the songs and stories they had to tell of their experiences. The energy that the CITW team still had after four weeks of intense work was amazing to see. One could feel the energy that the presence of the two Ministers brought to the occasion as well. Earlier in the year, whilst officiating at the Tour de Tuli cycling event, Minister Mokaila promised us that he would attend the Press Day in the Delta, and of course he was good on his word!”

Grant Woodrow and Wilderness Safaris would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support of this amazing program – a concept that has made and continues to make such a difference to the people of Botswana.